


The Road Ahead

by harry_styleswho



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Chicago (City), F/M, Kind of AU, Los Angeles, Mentioned One Direction, New York City, Pittsburgh, Post-Zayn One Direction, Road Trips, Singer-Songwriter Harry Styles, but basically ou, this is basically just a road trip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:35:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23601664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harry_styleswho/pseuds/harry_styleswho
Summary: Nova Kinsley gets the chance of a lifetime in Los Angeles: starring in a breakout television series. Harry Styles wants to feel something he never really has before: being normal. When these two meet, they find that sometimes it’s not really the destination that counts, it’s how you get there. Or the three-part novella about following one’s dreams, losing other dreams, and finding a cross-country bond so deep that even two twin beds can’t stand between.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Original Female Character(s), Niall Horan & Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 2





	1. part i: goodbyes & hellos

Nova felt like crying.

“Don’t forget to call me at every stop.”

His grip on her waist was tight as he drew her closer to him, his forehead pressing to hers. She had a clutch on his shirt, fisting the material at his chest, and there was a throbbing feeling in her chest. Her fingers were beginning to cramp up, but she didn’t dare let go. She needed a few more minutes. Maybe ten. Or twenty. She just needed more time.

They were perched beside her car. All of her luggage crammed into its confines. She had just about everything she owned in the four door vehicle, but somehow, she still felt like she was forgetting it all.

“I won’t,” she whispered, leaning on her tiptoes to press her lips gently to his. The kiss was sweet, speaking words of adoration and love without any vocalization. “God, I wished I didn’t have to leave you.”

“It’s okay.” He tried to keep his voice steady, but it cracked, and her heart did too. “I’m so proud of you, Nova. You’ve earned this, okay? You have worked so hard, and you deserve this.”

Nova felt her throat closing up, and she had to swallow twice before she could speak. “Four weeks, right? I’ll see you in four weeks, Milo.”

“I’m sure you’ll be taking the acting world by storm by that time.”

Nova rolled her eyes. “Who knows, this show will probably end up being a huge flop.”

“Not with you as the lead.” Milo leaned in close, lips centimeters from hers before he closed the gap, pressing his lips firmly to hers.

Nova let out a gasp against him as her hands traveled from his shirt to the back of his head. Her fingers fisted the hair there, holding him to her and kissing him as if this were their very last kiss. Their lips worked together like they had so many times before, and Nova could feel that familiar heat, but it was quickly extinguished by the cold prick-feeling in her heart. She was leaving him. She was following her dream, but she was also leaving one behind.

When they pulled away, their chests were heaving with expelled breaths. Their breaths intermingled as one, but Nova could feel Milo’s grip slowly loosening on her. It was time for her to go.

“I love you,” she whispered, pulling him in for one last hug.

“And I love you. Always.”

Then he let go. He took a step back from her, and his arms fell limply to his sides. Nova tried to ignore the naked feeling she felt as she watched Milo take two wide steps from her. He stood in the middle of the sidewalk, their apartment building casting a shadow over him. Well, now _his_ apartment building.

She heard him softly whisper, “drive safe,” before she was in the car, starting the ignition and driving away. Nova’s eyes were trained on the rearview mirror, watching Milo’s figure grow smaller and smaller before disappearing altogether. And as she drove, the city of New York slowly fell away. With a jolt, she realized she was doing it. She was moving to Los Angeles. She was becoming an actress. She was following her dream.

Little did she know just how much that dream would cost her.

* * *

Harry was upset.

Actually, Harry was pretty agitated. All he wanted was some quality time with Niall. He wanted to spend some time with his good mate, away from the fans, away from the public. Just him, Niall, and the road. Frankly, Harry didn’t think that was asking for much.

But when he asked Niall, “hey, mate, what do you say about a good ‘ole fashioned road trip to L.A.?” Niall actually had the gall to say no.

“Sorry, Harry,” Niall spoke softly, eyebrows drawing together. Harry would’ve been angry if Niall’s eyes didn’t resemble a lost puppy dog. “I would love to, mate. But I already promised me mum I’d go home this break. Spent too much time travelin’ last time, and I upset her a bit.”

“But the break’s three weeks long,” Harry reminded. “You can take a week trip with me, and spend the rest of the time with your family.”

Niall shrugged, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, can’t. But what if I made other arrangements for you?”

“Other arrangements?” Harry said skeptically.

“Like someone else to take a road trip with.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

And that was how Harry ended up on the side of a vacant New York City street, wrapped in several different layers, dreaming of the California sun. He really had—had enough of the city’s chilled air. He had a few cases of luggage at his side, though he felt like he always had luggage next to him. Harry practically lived out of his suitcase the last few months, but he supposed a worldwide tour would make any lad feel that way.

Harry looked to the left and right, watching a few cars pass by him, but none making an effort to stop in front of him. Nova. That was all Harry knew about his mystery fellow road tripper. That was all Niall deemed to share with him, and Harry was silently praying she wasn’t too big a fan. He didn’t want to risk anyone’s lives by having a hyperventilating fangirl at the wheel on a major highway. But leave it to Niall to arrange for the biggest fangirl in the world to drive Harry all the way to L.A. Frankly, Harry wouldn’t be too surprised. It was something he would probably do for some kicks and giggles.

But Harry knew what you were thinking, _why would a multimillionaire pop star want to take a cross-country road trip when he probably had dozens of private jets at his disposal?_ Well, to be fair, _Harry_ didn’t have all those jets, the band did. And that wasn’t much of the point anyhow, because Harry wanted to take this road trip. For just a few days, Harry _wanted_ to feel like a normal guy in his twenties. He never got to play the adolescent card very often, because he was usually too busy being in the spotlight. He never really got to enjoy being _young_ the way other kids his age did, and he just wanted to experience it.

And Harry was just beginning to think that he’d never be able to experience normal when a car pulled up beside him. Harry tensed as he watched the passenger window roll down, revealing a girl with dark hair and intense brown eyes in the driver’s side. When she saw Harry, her eyebrow quirked up, almost as if sizing him up.

Harry was expecting her to say something like, _oh my gosh, I’ve seen you in concert three times_ or _your voice is just so amazing_. But instead, she said—

“It was hell trying to find this street, you know.”

Harry blinked once. “Um, uh, sorry.”

“It’s whatever.” She shrugged, pointing her thumb towards the backseat. “You can throw your stuff in the back.”

Harry heard the click of the doors unlocking, and he quickly did what she said, figuring it was best to keep this girl happy if he was going to stand a three day road trip with her. After his stuff was stowed away, Harry swiftly climbed his way into the passenger seat. When he closed the door, the girl began to roll up the window, and Harry relaxed in the warmth the car provided.

“I’m Nova, by the way,” she said as she put the car in drive. “Sorry I was a little harsh a second ago. This was just an odd spot to be picked up, is all.”

Harry turned his head to look at her. She was _beautiful_. Strikingly and terrifyingly beautiful. There wasn’t a drop of makeup on her face, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but her eyes were this intense brown that made Harry’s chest constrict just a little. They were focused solely on the road as she drove, and Harry felt a mix of relief and disappointment that they weren’t on him.

“Harry,” he finally said, clearing his throat when his voice cracked a little. “And I just didn’t want the paparazzi on my trail. Didn’t want to start the drive on the wrong note.”

Nova nodded, turning to look at him for a brief second (Harry’s heart stuttered in his chest) before looking back to the road.

“Why don’t you play some music?” She pointed towards the phone in his lap. “Anything One Direction, and I’ll throw you out on your arse.”

Harry nodded, chuckling as he reached for the AUX cord. Nova laughed lightly at the sound of his amusement, and Harry’s heart absolutely did _not_ melt a little in his chest.

* * *

Nova was lost.

And to be fair, she lived in New York City for three years, and in the span of those years, Nova was certain she had never heard of this street before. Hell, she wasn’t even sure she could pronounce it. And with each wrong turn, she was silently cursing Niall’s name.

Nova met Niall Horan two years ago, and he was a sweet person. He helped her with a few things, and they kept in touch for a couple years. But it wasn’t anything consistent, so when she saw Niall’s name pop on her phone when she was finishing up the last few packed boxes last week, she was a little bit thrown off. And when he asked her to pick up his band mate at some cryptic location, she became a little weary.

But nevertheless, here she was, cursing loudly as she made another wrong turn into another wrong street.

So when she _finally_ made it to the right street, eyes finding a lanky long-haired guy standing at the side of the road with his hands in his pockets, it was safe to say Nova was a tad annoyed. He had luggage resting at his feet, and his sunglasses rested on the tip of his nose before he tugged them back up. Harry.

When Nova pulled up beside him, she rolled down the passenger window, quirking an eyebrow up when she saw the obscene top the guy was wearing. _Were those flamingos?_

He studied her for a bit, eyes wide, and when she knew he wasn’t going to say a word, she said—

“It was hell trying to find this street, you know.”

The long-haired guy blinked once, looking a tad thrown off as he stuttered, “Um, uh, sorry.”

“It’s whatever.” Nova shrugged, trying to tame the smirk that was threatening to curve her lips. Her thumb jabbed towards the backseat. “You can throw your stuff in the back.”

A click signaled the doors unlocking, and Nova didn’t have time to blink before Harry was pulling the door open and quickly tossing his luggage in the backseat. A twinge of guilt stung at Nova’s stomach when she realized how rude she had been to him. It wasn’t intentional. She was annoyed, and she was rather upset about leaving Milo, and she took it out on an unsuspecting victim. God, she was an _arsehole_.

The car was jostled when Harry quickly made his way into the passenger seat, shutting the door as Nova began rolling up his window. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him relax in the warmth of her car, but she definitely did _not_ smile a little at the soft sigh that left his lips.

“I’m Nova, by the way,” she informed as she put the car in drive. Absentmindedly, she wondered if Niall told him anything about her. “Sorry I was a little harsh a second ago. This was just an odd spot to be picked up, is all.”

He turned to look at her, and Nova tried extra hard to keep her eyes locked on the road. The problem was, she could literally feel his eyes boring a hole in the side of her head. It almost burned. And he had taken his sunglasses off, and Nova had a strong desire to catch a glimpse of his eyes. They were green. Anyone remotely aware of pop culture would know that. Harry Styles’s eyes were famous within themselves, and she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t googled a few pictures to see what the hype was about. She remembered her breath stuttering a bit at a mere picture, so she could only imagine what the real deal could do. Probably send her into cardiac arrest. Needless to say, she kept her eyes on the road.

“Harry,” he told her, and Nova resisted to urge to tell him she already knew that. But she did smirk a little when he cleared his throat after his voice cracked. “And I just didn’t want the paparazzi on my trail. Didn’t want to start the drive on the wrong note.”

She _definitely_ was an arsehole.

Nova turned to look at him after she nodded her head slowly. Harry’s eyes were already on her, and she felt her heart stutter a beat at the sight of the green. They were _infinitely_ better than any photo. As quickly as she looked over at him, she turned back towards the road.

“Why don’t you play some music?” She pointed towards the phone in his lap. “Anything One Direction, and I’ll throw you out on your arse.”

Harry nodded as he chuckled, and the sound caused a race in Nova’s heart, her lips parting to let out what she hoped was a short giggle (but to her ears, it held a much more nervous quality than she wanted).

Harry’s eyes were wide when the first song played, _Human_ by Civil Twilight, and she pretended like she didn’t noticed him relax as she nodded her approval. And she definitely did _not_ notice the way he sang quietly under his breath, voice so melodic she thought it was a shame that it wasn’t constantly played on the radio. But then again, she supposed it kind of was.

 _Shit_ , Nova thought as she caught herself staring at his fingers tapping the beat against his knee as she was stopped at a red light, _this is going to be a long road trip._

* * *

Harry’s cheeks were pink.

And they weren’t just any pink; they were _pink_ pink. It certainly didn’t help matters much that Nova kept giggling every time he fumbled to change the song. And to be fair, he didn’t even know _how_ that song got on his playlist. (But that might have been a bit of a lie, because Harry was a low key Disney fanatic, and he was certain the song had appeared on his phone after he searched _Little Mermaid songs_ on iTunes and paid ninety-nine cents for it).

Then Nova started to sing along, and Harry thought he’d never be able to lose the pink tint in his cheeks.

“ _Under the sea, under the sea_.” She turned to face Harry, and there was a mischievous glint in her eye, and Harry’s heart may or may not have skipped two beats. “ _Darlin’ it’s better, down where it’s wetter, take it from me_.”

“Okay, okay!” His fingers tapped viciously on the phone, and he managed to press pause through his hysteria.

It was silent for a few moments in time, and Harry worked extra hard to try and regulate the temperature and color of his cheeks. His heart was pounding against his chest, but he was kind of sorry that he had managed to turn the song off. Watching Nova tease him was horrifying, but it was also the first time since he stumbled into into the car that she wasn’t looking at him with dagger-like eyes. In fact, he quite enjoyed the amusing glint in her eyes (even though it was at his own expense).

They had been on the road for five hours, and Harry had yet to learn anything about Nova apart from the fact that she was increasingly intimidating. And Harry wasn’t sure if it was the way her lips seemed to just naturally rest in a frown, or the way her brows were set in what seemed to be a permanent furrow. But he was pretty sure it was the eyes. They were striking. A deep brown that always seemed to be searching straight through your soul. And well, it didn’t help much that she was the most strikingly beautiful woman Harry thinks he had ever seen. Everything about her was just intimidating.

And so, having a moment of reprieve from the constant intimidation was welcoming, but now the car was silent, and Harry was beginning to debate whether or not he should risk mortal humiliation and put his Disney playlist on shuffle.

“What’s your favorite Disney movie?”

Harry’s head whipped around to her, eyes wide as he so eloquently said, “Huh?”

“Disney.” She spared him a quick glance. “I’m assuming you’re a fan since you’ve the _Little Mermaid_ soundtrack on your phone, so what’s your favorite movie?”

“Oh.” His voice came out in a squeak, so he cleared his throat. “Um, it’s _Lion King_. That’s, uh, my favorite.”

They happened upon a stoplight, and Nova looked over at Harry with narrowed eyes. Harry felt his throat dry up before she nodded once, turning back towards the road just as the light turned green.

“My favorite is _Beauty and the Beast_ ,” she said as she drove through the stoplight.

Harry dared a glance over in Nova’s direction, sighing when he noticed her eyes focused solely on the road. Then he felt stupid for wishing her eyes were anywhere else, and he quickly looked away, shaking his head as it turned.

“You know,” Nova said as she turned into a gas station. It wasn’t until she was safely parked at a pump that she chose to speak again. With a click of her seatbelt, she turned to look at Harry, and he suddenly felt like he was staring directly at the sun. “For a popstar, you’re rather quiet. Thought you’d be a little more chatty and outgoing.”

Harry shrugged. “Dunno. Not really a huge talker, I s’pose.”

“Clearly.” Then she opened her door and got out of the car.

Harry stayed where he was, feeling like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He felt stupid. So utterly stupid and juvenile that he wanted someone to punch him. Or better yet, he could just punch himself. Harry honestly felt like he was in primary school all over again, crushing on the cute girl with a sixty-four pack of crayons. Nova seemed like she was the kid with the sixty-four pack of crayons.

To be fair, Harry was no stranger to girls. He had some girlfriends and some not-so-serious flings here and there (he was nowhere near the lothario that the media made him out to be, but he did get around at a healthy state for someone his age). But there was something about Nova that suddenly turned his tongue into something akin to mega-dried sandpaper and made his throat feel like it was closing up whenever her eyes met his.

 _It wasn’t fair_ , Harry thought. He had to drive cross-country with this girl, and he could barely get two words out whenever she was looking at him. He wondered if Niall knew this would happened. _Probably did_ , Harry couldn’t help but think, _that little Irish bastard._

Harry had come up with four different ways to torture Niall when he saw him next when Nova jumped into the car. She smelled a little like gasoline, but he found the scent a little endearing. His desire to punch himself grew ten-fold.

Before Nova could start the car, her phone began to buzz in the center console. Harry jumped a little at the noise, and Nova glared at him briefly before picking up the phone. Harry could just barely make out the name _Milo_ etched across the screen.

“Hey,” she breathed, and Harry tried to ignore the way his body warmed at the soft sound in her voice. It wasn’t for him, he had to remind himself. “Yeah, I’m good. Almost, six hours. Yeah, we’re in Pittsburgh right now. We’ll probably stop for the night sometime soon.”

She ducked her head, biting into her lower lip to suppress her smile. Harry looked away.

“I miss you, too.” Nova’s voice was a hushed whisper, causing Harry to feel like an intruder. “Yeah, yeah. I love you, too. Be safe.”

Then she hung up, and Harry rearranged his face into what he hoped feigned disinterest. Nova didn’t say a word, though there was a sort of melancholy that hung in the air. Wordlessly, she started the car, pulling out of the gas station. Her eyes would flicker to her phone every-so-often, and Harry wondered who she was leaving behind. She was becoming an actress, he knew that much. She had gotten a big break, and she was following her dreams. Though, by the look on her face, Harry knew she was leaving behind someone to chase those dreams, and he was curious as to who that was.

And before he could really stop himself, he found his lips parting, the words, “Who was that?” tumbling from his mouth before he thought twice about it.

Nova stiffened, and her face contorted into a scowl. “None of your business,” she snapped, and Harry felt something cold prick at his skin.

He sunk further into his seat, absentmindedly wondering if he could just wind himself in the seat belt and hide forever, when Nova sighed loudly.

“It was my boyfriend.” Her voice was softer than it had been a second ago, but Harry could still hear an edge to it. “He’s a journalist back home in New York.”

“Why isn’t he coming with you?”

She hesitated as she looked at him from the corner of her eye. “I’m following my dream. He’s already found his. Can’t very well ask him to pack up and leave it all behind just for me.”

“I would do it,” Harry said with a shrug, and Nova’s head whipped around to him before she realized she was, in fact, driving, and she focused her gaze on the road once more.

“Excuse me?”

Harry’s cheeks tinged with pink when he realized the double meaning behind that statement. “I- I meant… you know, like if I were in his shoes- not like we’re… ‘cause we’re not. I’m not… I didn’t—”

“Harry,” Nova interrupted him, and he was happy to hear the edge of humor in her voice. Though, his cheeks still burned red. “I get it, don’t worry about it.”

Harry nodded, relaxing slightly and willing the blush in his cheeks to go away. The sun had long since set, and when Harry looked over at Nova, he could see her eyes drooping before flying open as she sat up straighter. She repeated the same pattern three times.

“Hey,” he said gently, eying the exit sign that showed the motels and hotels near by. “You must be exhausted. Do you want me to take over, or do want to call it a night?”

She shook her head sleepily. “No one drives my baby ‘cept me and Milo.”

“Okay.” He chuckled quietly, figuring Milo was the infamous boyfriend. “Then turn onto this exit. We’ll get a hotel room for the night.”

“Two beds,” she mumbled as she turned.

Harry nodded once. “Two beds.”

And as Harry watched her drive (a little waringly, if he was being honest), he couldn’t help but think how much he liked sleepy Nova. So carefree and unguarded. As Harry watched a yawn overtake her face, her nose scrunching up in the process, he thought, briefly, about what it would be like to _not have_ to have two beds.

* * *

Nova woke up to humming and a bright sun.

At first, she thought the humming was Milo, and her lips curved into a smile. Then she realized the humming was on key, and Milo’s humming was _never_ on key. And as her eyes slowly opened, she also realized she wasn’t in their apartment. She was in a foreign hotel room. She had said goodbye to Milo yesterday. The smile immediately fell from her lips.

“Are you always this goddamn chipper in the morning?”

Her voice was groggy, and at the sound of it, the humming immediately stopped. Nova almost missed it.

When her eyes fully opened, she wished they hadn’t. In front of her stood none other than Harry Styles in nothing but a towel, water dripping down the contours of his body. Nova angrily felt her cheeks flush as Harry looked over at her like a deer caught in headlights.

“I, uh, um-” he stammed, cheeks flaming red. “I- I didn’t think you’d be up for awhile.”

Nova nodded once. “Well, I’m up.”

“I can see that.”

“Right.”

Then there was silence, and Harry was still in a fucking towel. Nova averted her eyes.

“Well, I’ll just go freshen up and give you time to, you know, if you’re…” she trailed, looking at him expectantly.

Harry took a moment to answer. “Oh! Yeah, it’s, uh, it’s all yours.”

Nova nodded, pulling the covers from her body and crawling out the bed. She made sure to grab a change of clothes from her suitcase, so previous actions wouldn’t go repeated. Harry avoided her eyes as she went, and she vaguely wondered if she made the poor guy nervous. The thought made her almost smile, but the hammering in her chest stopped her from doing so.

When she was safely inside of the bathroom, Nova felt herself let out a breath of relief. There was still steam on the mirror from Harry’s shower, but there was a spot that looked like had been wiped at with a hand. Nova tried extra hard not to think about Harry wiping away the fog to see himself. Freshly out of the shower. Naked. Wet.

_Milo._

_Milo._

_Milo is your boyfriend,_ her mind reminded her.

Leaning her head against the door, she thought of Milo. His hazel eyes. His bright smile. His odd obsession with all animals. His innate ability to break down Nova’s walls and know exactly how she was feeling. She allowed the smile to fall onto her lips as she quickly undressed, turning the shower on in the process.

Her mind was still on Milo was she wandered under the shower stream, but the image of hazel eyes soon transformed into green ones without her accord.

Nova cursed aloud.

* * *

Harry was an idiot.

 _She has a fucking boyfriend, you twat_ , he chastised himself over and over again. The words became a constant mantra as he dressed, angrily shoving a shirt on his head. He heard the shower turn on as he was pulling his pants up his legs, and he felt his entire face blushing at the sound.

_Fuck._

To distract himself, Harry took a seat on the bed, grabbing his phone and pulling up a text from Niall.

_I hate you._

Harry watched as the ellipses appeared on the screen almost immediately, and he waited until they turned into a text.

He tapped the screen when it darkened. _Trouble in paradise?_

_I think she hates me._

_Who? Nova?_ Harry could sense Niall’s confusion, even through text.

He rolled his eyes, typing quickly. _Yes, Nova. Who else?_

_She doesn’t hate you, mate._

_Well then, she shows her love in a very odd way._

Harry didn’t get a chance to see Niall’s response, because as soon as he clicked send, the bathroom door opened, and Harry promptly locked his phone.

Nova was fully dressed in skinny jeans a plaid shirt that was much too big for her, and Harry assumed it was her boyfriend’s. It was tucked in the front. Her hair was pulled back in a wet french braid, not a spot of makeup of on her face. Harry thought she looked beautiful.

She eyed Harry for a moment before she reached into her pocket and pulled out her keys. She threw them at Harry, and he ungracefully fumbled to catch them. When they were in his hands, he looked up at her with a furrow in his brows.

“You drive,” she said, going to her suitcase to flip it closed. “I’m sick of it.”

Harry seemed to need a moment to process that. “But I thought no one but you and Milo drives your car.”

Nova seemed to tense at the mention of her boyfriend before relaxing and standing to her feet.

“I’m making an exception.” She shrugged, wheeling her suitcase to the door. “Don’t make me regret it.”

Harry fumbled to get up, grabbing his bags and following Nova out of the door. They were both halfway out when Nova turned around to say something. Harry’s gasped quietly at the abruptness of it.

“And if we’re going to play any Disney, it can only be _Beauty and the Beast_.”

Harry’s cheeks were pink the entire walk to the car.

He was sitting in the car, waiting for Nova to put all of her things back into the boot when he realized he hadn’t read Niall’s text. Quickly, he pulled his phone from his pocket.

_That she does, mate._

Harry didn’t have time to wonder what that meant before Nova was getting into the car, and he quickly locked his phone.

They didn’t say a word to one another as Harry started the car, driving away from the hotel they made a home for the night. Nova silently mouthed the _Panic! at the Disco_ song she had put on, and Harry couldn’t help sneaking glances at her when she wasn’t looking.

Her fingers tapped the beat against her knee, and she bobbed her head along to the song. She was completely oblivious to the way Harry’s eyes gravitated towards her every few minutes.

It was then, Harry realized, that Nova Kinsley was a complete and utter enigma.


	2. part ii: art & infinity

Nova lasted exactly eleven minutes with Harry driving her car before she snapped.

Though, to be fair, she wasn’t known for keeping her thoughts locked inside. In fact, Nova Kinsley was known for the exact opposite, just ask Milo. So, when the pair happened upon a red light, and Harry seemed rather keen and pushing on her brakes before easing up, pushing then easing, and then pushing some more, Nova kind of lost it.

“Would you _stop_ riding my fucking breaks?” she all but yelled.

At the tone of her voice, Harry immediately stiffened, pushing fully on the breaks and coming to a complete stop. His hands fell from the steering wheel to land on his lap, and his head bowed, eyes staring at the place where his hands were.

 _Shit_ , Nova thought _, I really am an arsehole._

She closed her eyes tightly, taking exactly three calming breaths. The only sound between Harry and Nova was the radio playing some kind of recent pop hit that Nova close to despised.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She began to lightly pinch at the skin at the side of her wrist, a nervous habit she had picked up on from Milo. Harry slowly raised his head to look over at her, and his expression looked an awful lot like a lost puppy. Nova mentally cursed. “That was really uncalled for. It’s just I can’t afford to constantly get my break pads changed, but there was definitely a better way of addressing that.”

Harry shrugged. “S’all right. I shouldn’t’ve been doing that anyway.”

“Still,” she said, shaking her head, “I’m sorry.”

“Do you want to take over?” Harry tilted his head towards the steering wheel, and Nova wished he’d just verbally accept her apology instead of being so damn kind all the fucking time. “I know it’s probably taken a lot out of you to let me drive your car.”

Just then, the light turned green. Nova laid her head against her seat as she shook it from side to side.

“No, just don’t total the damn thing.”

Harry chuckled, pressing his foot on the gas and surging forward. “Got it.”

Nova kept her head leaned against the headrest of her seat, eyes closed. She contemplated grabbing one of the many books she had in her back seat to read when her phone buzzed in her lap, a text message being the cause. She looked down, smiling when Milo’s name stood front and center.

When she opened it, her smile only grew. It read, J _ust got back from Third Rail Coffee_. Then attached was a picture of the latte he had order with a cream heart in the middle.

Another message buzzed in before Nova could respond. _Reminded me of you. Miss you._

“Is that Milo?”

Nova’s head turned, and she saw Harry was looking at her. They were stuck in a rather intense traffic jam, so his eyes weren’t focused on the road ahead, flickering towards her and her cell every-so-often. Nova’s eyes flickered down to the phone that rested in her lap.

“Yeah.” She nodded slowly. A feeling of melancholy rushed through her. “He went to this coffee shop that we used to always go to, so he sent me a picture.”

Nova didn’t know why, but she showed Harry the picture.

“Latte art.” He seemed impressed. “Didn’t know he was that kind of guy.”

Nova chuckled, shaking her head. “He usually drinks his coffee black, but I think he ordered that just for me.”

The traffic moved an inch, and Nova had to nod her head towards the moving cars to get Harry to notice. He seemed to need to blink out of some kind of reverie before he whipped his head around, gently allowing the car to surge forward.

The car was silent as they slowly made their way through the promptu traffic jam. When they got towards the end of it, Harry turned towards Nova for a second, smiling.

“He seems like a good guy,” he said, nodding his head towards the phone. “Milo, I mean.”

Usually, the mention of Milo would have set Nova’s stomach into a flurry of butterflies, but this around, her stomach stood still. Her heartbeats remained steady. Her eyes flitted down to her phone, and she nodded.

“Yeah.” Her voice remained low, “he is.”

* * *

Harry was driving through the heart of Pittsburgh when he nearly crashed.

And to be fair, it wasn’t his fault. His hands were steady on the steering wheel, ten and two. And his foot was steady on the gas, going not even a notch above the speed limit. His posture was perfect, but nothing could have prepared him for the squeal that was emitted from Nova’s lips.

“Oh my god!” she all but screamed.

Harry swerved, biting by a string of curses as a semi-truck honked loudly at him. “Jesus Christ, Nova.”

She didn’t seem to understand how close they were to death. “Turn off here! Turn off here!”

And so, he did, waving wildly in apology to the numerous cars he managed to cut off just to obey Nova. He was sure the turn signal was about to pass out from exhaustion when they finally pulled into the destination that had Nova bouncing in her seat. Harry was quick to pull up next to the sidewalk, parallel parking across from a huge building.

Nova’s eyes were bright as they danced across the structure of the building. Harry had a hard time looking away from her, and when she turned to him, the brightness in her eyes dissipated as she noticed his gaze solely on her. Harry looked away, cheeks tinting pink.

“Are you ready?” she asked, and Harry looked up at her again, willing the pink color away.

“Huh?”

“The museum.”

Harry’s brows furrowed. “The museum?”

“Carnegie Museum of Art.” She gestured behind her, and Harry couldn’t help but think the smile on her face made her entire demeanor light up. “I’ve heard amazing things about it, and we just have to go in.”

With a smile like that, Harry could never say no, so he simply nodded. And his agreement was totally worth it when Nova squealed and hopped out of the car, excitedly skipping towards the entrance of the museum.

Forty-five minutes later, Harry was ensconced into the world of contemporary art. He couldn’t help but notice that Nova was in her element. Briefly, he wondered if this was what she looked like on any set.

“Look at that!” She pointed excitedly, effectively knocking Harry out of his reverie.

His attention was drawn to a painting of people. His eyes flickered down to the plaque underneath to see it was painted by Vincent van Gogh. It was called _Le Moulin de la Galette._ Harry blinked a couple of times, eyes widening.

It was _beautiful_.

“Look at it,” Nova whispered in awe. “You can almost feel everything they’re feeling, you know? Just by the way van Gogh painted their expressions. It’s like you’re feeling what they’re feeling.”

Harry strode up to stand beside Nova. He wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or not, but he responded anyhow.

“You really like art, huh?”

Nova spared him a glance, nodding briefly. “All kinds of art. Paintings, drawings, writings. It’s all art.”

“Singing,” Harry murmured quietly, “dancing.” Pause. “Acting. It’s all art, too.”

Nova’s eyes were on him suddenly, and Harry swore his heart skipped a beat. There was a soft look there, something Harry had yet to see in Nova.

From the point they had met, Nova was nothing but rough exteriors and sarcastic remarks. She seemed to hide behind a wall, only allowing her compassion for specific people. She wasn’t the type that seemed to love easily. She gave her love selectively. Hell, she gave her kindness and trust selectively. One had to be worthy, and Harry slowly started to wonder if he was just that. If he was worthy.

But with Nova looking at him the way she was, her lips twisting into a soft smile, he finally began to feel like perhaps he was worthy. If not, he was worthy for these few precious seconds.

Before long, Nova turned back around towards the painting. Her eyes seemed to dart around each aspect of the work, as if trying to commit it to memory.

“You know,” she said softly, “when he was growing up, van Gogh used to visit a tombstone with his name on it.”

Harry looked at her oddly, eyebrows furrowing together. “What?”

“He had an infant brother who was also named Vincent that died at birth. Stillborn.”

“Poor guy,” Harry said, whistling lowly, “that’s gotta mess with a guy’s mental state.”

Nova only nodded slowly. “And did you ever hear how he died?”

“Suicide, right? He shot himself, refused medical help, then died two days later.”

She shook her head. “There’s speculation that it was murder.”

“Murder?”

“Yeah.” She nodded slowly. “They say he was accidentally shot by a teenage boy who was known to mock him.” Nova shrugged, gazing at the painting. “It makes sense. They could never find the gun that he supposedly took with him to the wheat field that he was painting. They also couldn’t find his painting tools. Plus, he claimed to have walked back from the wheat field to the inn he was staying at, which considering his fatal wound, that would be a near impossible distance to travel.”

“Huh.” Harry nodded thoughtfully. “Why would he claim to be committing suicide if someone tried to kill him?”

“He was unhappy,” she said quietly, her gaze turning into something meaningful. “People seem to think he considered the teenage boy was doing him a favor by pulling the trigger. He felt like a burden to his brother, Theo, who he was leaning on financially. When he was dying, he told his brother, ‘the sadness will last forever’ in explanation to why he wanted to die.”

Harry’s frown deepened. “Jesus, he must’ve lived a rough life.”

“He did.” Nova nodded thoughtfully. “People say that artists like van Gogh and writers like Sylvia Plath are so attuned with their emotions because of their talents that it ends up being their demise.”

“So,” Harry hummed, “in a way, art kills.”

Nova shook her head. “No, society kills. Their art saves them, but society doesn’t understand people like van Gogh and Plath, so eventually, the art isn’t enough, and society wins.”

Harry studied Nova for a beat or two. She was brilliant, he realized in that moment. Her mind worked in ways he couldn’t understand. Then it hit him. Nova Kinsley was just like van Gogh and Plath. She was an artist, but there was something different about Nova. A gleam of defiance stood out in her eyes, almost as if she knew she was another one of them. And she wasn’t going to let society get the best of her.

Harry wondered if he was another van Gogh or Plath. He wouldn’t let society get the best of him.

“It’s a shame, really,” Nova spoke softly, and Harry continued to watch her look at the painting, “the way society destroys things it doesn’t understand. It’s a shame.”

Harry just nodded, murmuring, “It is.”

That was the moment Harry realized just how beautiful Nova Kinsley really was.

* * *

After their impromptu museum visit, Nova decided she needed to drive.

Her mind was swirling with thoughts of van Gogh and his tragic life, and her mood was quickly declining. Vincent van Gogh led a sad life. He was known as the best Dutch painter, after Rembrandt, of course, but through his entire life, he was poor and pretty much unknown. It was devastating, to say the least. That this utmost talented man ended up as a self-admitted patient in an asylum.

It wasn’t until after his death that people began to properly see his talent, thanks to his sister in law.

And that terrified Nova.

She knew she was a talented actress, just as she was sure van Gogh knew he was a talented artist. But what if the thing she loved more than anything in the world became what ended her?

What if she never acquired the recognition she deserved?

Her stomach dropped a little at the thought.

So, needless to say, Nova needed the distraction driving provided. She needed to focus on something other than Sylvia Plath and Vincent van Gogh and their sad lives.

Harry and Nova had spent two hours at the museum. By the time they left, it was early afternoon, and Nova knew they needed to hit the road. They grabbed something quick to eat and left.

A little over three hours later, it was rounding the late afternoon, and neither Harry nor Nova had said a word since they left the city lines of Pittsburgh.

Harry was controlling the music, and Nova was thoroughly impressed with the selection he played. It was everything from Led Zeppelin to The 1975, and Nova knew just about every word to every song.

“We’re gonna hit Chicago, right?”

Nova startled at the sound of Harry’s voice suddenly sounding in the almost silent vehicle. Her gaze found Harry’s to make sure he did, in fact, speak, and when she saw his expectant gaze, she figured he had.

“Um.” Her voice cracked, so she promptly cleared her throat, “yeah, I think so.”

Harry nodded. “We’re—what?—four hours away from Chicago?”

Nova’s eyes found her GPS, and she mirrored Harry’s gesture, nodding.

“Okay, let’s keep going until we get there, yeah?”

She looked over Harry quickly before focusing her eyes on the road. “We won’t get there until like almost ten at night.”

“Just trust me.”

And for some reason, Nova did.

* * *

Harry drove for the last two hours to get to Chicago.

Nova’s eyes started to droop, and Harry was fairly certain the museum trip had taken a lot out of her, emotionally. Why, he wasn’t so sure, but he wanted her to rest, so he gently told her to pull over. He would drive. And the small smile she offered to him in thanks made it all totally worth it.

Nova was sleeping soundly as they stood at a standstill at a red light that Harry was convinced was going to last forever. There was no one else out on the road, so Harry was slightly confused as why _he_ was still stuck at the red light, but he digressed.

As another minute at the stoplight ticked by, Nova’s phone began to vibrate in the cupholder. Against the hardness of the surface, the vibration was loud, and Harry winced when Nova stirred. He knew there were other means to get the noise to cease, but his hand reached out on his own accord.

He knew it was Milo before he even answered it.

“Hello?”

There was a pause before, “Who’s this? Where’s Nova?”

Milo’s New York accent was strong, and there was a way he spoke that was entirely masculine and dignified.

Harry cleared his throat, seeing Nova sleeping soundly in the seat next to him. “I’m Harry. Nova’s asleep right now.”

“Oh.” Milo sounded relieved. “I’m Milo, by the way. Nova’s boyfriend.”

Harry thought the addition of _Nova’s_ _boyfriend_ was a little unneeded, but he chose not to address it.

“Nice to… talk to you, I guess.”

Milo chuckled on the other end. “You, too, man.”

The light turned green then. “Look, I’ll tell Nova you called.”

“All right, sounds good. Bye, Harry.”

“Talk to you later, Milo.”

And then Harry hung up and started to drive.

He was probably going a little faster than what was necessary, but he wasn’t sure he cared. He _wished_ Milo wasn’t a decent guy. He wished he was some kind of inconsiderate jerk than it would make Harry’s attraction to Nova a little less guilt-ridden.

But no.

Milo was the type of guy to call and check up on his girlfriend every three hours she was on the road. He was the type of guy that sent her pictures of coffee when it reminded him of her. He was entirely faithful to Nova, and she was entirely faithful to him. And Harry, well, Harry felt like scum, because every time his eyes met Nova’s, his heart began to beat a little faster.

Even now, when he looked over to Nova’s peaceful face as she slept snugly, he could feel a warmth settling over him that caused his stomach to drop.

He was so far gone, and it had only been twenty-four hours.

Harry was _fucked_.

* * *

Nova woke up to gentle touches and soft whispers.

She blinked three times before her vision wasn’t so blurred, and she could make out Harry’s face. There was a soft smile playing on his lips. Nova could hear the distant sound of rain against the car, and it was then she realized the car was in park.

“What are we doing?” she mumbled, stretching her limbs. The movement caused her chest to be slightly pressed up against Harry’s. He was leaning over the console in order to gently shake her awake, and he hadn’t moved since she woke up.

Harry smiled softly, and for some reason, Nova didn’t move away.

“Have you ever been to Chicago?”

Nova shook her head, her tongue feeling suddenly heavy in her mouth.

Harry’s smile widened. “Then you’re in for a treat.”

And he suddenly jumped out of the car before Nova could react. She sat up straighter, opening the door but not getting out.

“It’s raining!” she called against the pounding of the rain on the pavement. She couldn’t quite tell where they were, only able to make out a line of buildings they were parked in front of. The city was almost vacant-looking, apart from the few passengers running by, trying to save themselves from the rain. Harry stood by her side, offering his hand. She looked at it, laughing as she said, “You’re mad.”

Then she took his hand and allowed him to pull her out of the car.

“Yet you got out of the car.” His voice was a notch louder than usual, to be heard over the rain. Nova was suddenly transfixed on the droplets of water clinging to his eyelashes. “You must be just as mad.”

And then they were running. Rain was beating against her face, but she couldn’t care less. Her clothes were sticking to her body in a heap of soaking mess, but all she could focus on was the sound of Harry’s laughter. She couldn’t help but echo him.

“Where are we going?” she yelled over the rain.

Harry didn’t answer her, but he really didn’t need to, because she could finally see where they were headed. She saw the reflection of it in the puddles of rain before she saw it.

“Cloud Gate,” she whispered once they were standing right in front of it.

Harry’s hand still had a grip on hers, and for some reason, the feel of it comforted her. The sculpture before her made her feel miniature. It stood proudly, all silver and water reflections. The rain bounced off the top of it, and the reflection of it made the rain seem infinite.

“People around here call it The Bean,” he told her, smiling at the look of awe on her face. “Do you want to go inside?” He cocked his head towards the middle of it, the archway.

Nova nodded quickly, and this time, she pulled Harry towards The Bean. They stood in the middle of the sculpture, and there was enough light illuminated from the street lamp that she could see their reflections. Looking up, all Nova could see was her and Harry, in all different angles. The Bean multiplied them to the point where she couldn’t look anywhere without seeing her hand gripped tightly in Harry’s. It was like looking in a giant kaleidoscope and only seeing yourself in a millions different ways. It was as if they were—

“Infinite,” she whispered, and Harry’s head whipped over to her at the sound of her voice. “We’re infinite.”

When she met his gaze, there was something in the depth of his eyes that made her flush from head to toe. There was something so tender and soft in his gaze that made her feel fragile. She squeezed his hand in response, because she couldn’t think of anything else to do.

Harry didn’t say anything. His lips only curved into a soft smile, before he tugged Nova down to sit on the ground. She did. On the way to the ground, she had somehow lost Harry’s hand, and the city’s chilled wind was suddenly much more prominent.

“When we toured,” Harry spoke softly, and Nova turned to look at him. He was staring off in front of him, hands planted in his lap, “I would always come here in the dead of night when we were in this city. Tourists usually were never here, so I had this all to myself until it closed.”

Nova nodded, urging him to continue. Harry turned to look at her, and her breath was almost lost from her lungs at the look of his soft and gentle expression. His soaked fringe was falling in his eyes, dripping small droplet of water down his face. One of the droplets clung to his top lip, and Nova watched with transfixion as his tongue poked out to catch it.

“I would sit right here like we are right now,” he continued, eyes trailing across Nova’s face, “and just look up. I would always feel like I was infinite, just like you said. Like the world was infinite, because it was reflected here.”

Nova hummed, looking up again. “It’s almost like nothing can touch you.”

“Exactly,” Harry breathed. Nova caught his intense gaze, almost melting. “We’re infinite.”

“Infinite.”

Nova’s gaze fell to Harry’s mouth, and she felt her entire body flush with heat. It was suddenly as if the outside world didn’t exist, and it was the two of them in their infinity. Harry began to lean forward, but Nova didn’t move. She also didn’t stop him, eyes focused on his lips. His tongue poked out, catching another droplet of water, and Nova was struck with overpowering want. Harry’s lips was just a hairbreadth away from hers when—

 _BOOM_.

A clap of thunder suddenly shook the ground, and the pair leapt apart.

 _Milo_.

Nova closed her eyes, guilt consuming her as she realized this was the first time she had thought about her boyfriend in much too long. And she had almost kissed someone who was decidedly _not_ her boyfriend.

Harry cleared his throat, and Nova ducked her down to look at her lap. “We should probably go check into a hotel. Get some dry clothes on before we catch something.”

Nova only nodded, standing up and walking away before Harry could follow her.

* * *

Harry felt like an absolute bugger.

He had honest intentions in showing Nova Cloud Gate. She shared something rather intimate with him at the art museum, and he wanted to return the favor. He just wanted to share something that was equally important. A little art of his own.

But then she sat there, with the most beautiful smile on her face. Her eyes were wide in wonder, cheeks flushed a pale pink, and her hair was sticking to her face in a sopping mess. In that moment, Harry thought Nova truly looked infinite, and then, well, then he went and screwed everything up.

Nova hadn’t looked at him since they left The Bean. They were now in their hotel room. Both of them were dressed in warm pajamas, tucked in their individual beds, in the dark.

 _She has a boyfriend, you prick,_ Harry’s head taunted him, and he squeezed his eyes shut, letting the self-loathing consume him.

He was acutely aware of Nova in the room with him, laying in her bed across the room. He heard her toss and turn, but he kept his gaze focused solely on the ceiling.

She must hate him. Harry was pretty sure about that. He had ruined everything, and Nova hated him.

“Harry,” Nova suddenly whispered into the tense air.

Harry jumped at the sound of her voice before he turned his head. Her back was facing him, and it almost made Harry second guess himself. Like she hadn’t really spoken at all. But even his imagination couldn’t be that cruel.

“Yeah?” His voice was soft, and he wished with everything that he could see Nova right now.

“I don’t want to make anymore tourists stops,” she said. “From now on, just straight to L.A.”

Harry felt something cold prick at his heart, and he nodded before remembered she couldn’t see him.

“Okay.” His voice broke gently, and he promptly cleared his throat. “First thing tomorrow morning, we’ll drive straight to Colorado. No tourist stops.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

And then that was that.

Harry didn’t much sleep that night.

* * *

Nova took the first driving shift in the following morning.

It was four in the morning when they both dragged themselves out of bed. It would take roughly about sixteen hours to get to Colorado, so they both figured an early start was probably best. By the look on Harry’s face, she could tell he hadn’t much sleep, so she offered to drive first.

About twenty minutes into the drive, Harry fell asleep, but Nova definitely did not mind. It felt a little less suffocating in the car with Harry sleeping. There was less pressure to ease the tension between the two, and Nova couldn’t help but be grateful.

Ever since last night, things were decidedly different between the pair. Nova wasn’t so sure if it was good or bad, but she was certain about one thing, it was almost seemed impossible that she’d only known Harry for about two days. It seemed so much longer.

Her mind was swirling with so many thoughts, and it was actually pretty terrifying. Thoughts that surrounded both Harry and Milo, but mostly thoughts that surrounded last night. She kept replaying it over and over again, until she could probably recite each word that was uttered perfectly. And every time she tried to stop thinking about it, then thoughts pushed through, coupled by three more. Nova always had a good control over her head. Now, well, it felt as if her thoughts weren’t even her own anymore, and she absolutely abhorred it.

She was feeling ready to scream when she happened upon a red. It was so fucking early in the morning, she wasn’t even sure _why_ the light was red in the first place. She honestly hadn’t seen another car since she began the drive. Shaking her head, she leaned it against the headrest of the seat.

With a deep breath, Nova slowly risked a glance towards Harry. His head was turned towards her, eyes closed peacefully. Pink lips were parted just slightly, shaping in a small circle. His eyelashes rested on the apple of his cheeks, the dark hairs a striking contrast to the pale skin. There were wisps of his hair that were falling on his forehead, and Nova had to suppress the urge to gently move them away.

Before she can act on her desire, her phone vibrated against the surface of the cupholder, and Nova quickly snatched it before it made too much noise.

Milo’s name popped up out as the caller i.d.

Nova clicked ignore.

The light turned green.


	3. Chapter 3

Nova fell in love with Los Angeles.

She knew she was a city girl. Her years in Manhattan proving that theory quite nicely, but she’d never felt the sense of belonging in New York that she did while standing in L.A. 

Turning to look at Harry, she saw him pulling his bags out of her car. They were parked in front of the hotel he had booked for himself. Nova had excused herself to give Milo a call, but she found herself stuck, staring at Harry.

They hadn’t spoken much since the almost-kiss back in Chicago, and Nova found herself missing him, even though he was always right next to her. 

Before she could contemplate it much more, her phone began to ring. She didn’t have to look at the name to know it was Milo. She hadn’t been keen on answering many of his phone calls lately, and that typically made him that much more persistent. 

“Hey, babe,” she answered the phone, trying to sound cheerful. Harry looked up at the sound of her voice, his face looking far too tight for Nova’s liking.

“Hey!” Milo answered back, “we’ve been missing each other lately.”

Nova turned around, needing to get away from Harry’s eyes. “Yeah, ‘m sorry about that. It’s just been crazy.”

Milo made a sympathetic noise before, “Hey, where are you?”

“Um.” Nova frowned, looking up at the street sign she was currently standing by, “I’m standing in front of the Ritz Carlton on West Olympic Boulevard. Why?”

“I have a surprise for you,” he said. 

No, Nova thought dreadfully, closing her eyes, don’t be here, don’t be here, don’t­–

“Look to the right.”

Nova didn’t look to the right. Instead, her head whipped up to look just directly in front of her, making eye contact with Harry. By the look on his face, he knew. He knew. She could clearly tell Harry had seen him before she did, and when she did finally follow Harry’s eyes, she saw him walking towards her. 

Milo. 

When they made contact, Milo’s face brightened, a smile finding his face almost immediately. He waved, pace quickening to get to her faster. Nova didn’t move. She looked to Harry, and the look on his face made her stomach drop. 

He looked defeated.

“Hey, baby.” 

Suddenly, Milo’s voice was in her ear, and his arm was wrapping around her, pulling her in. Her view of Harry was blocked, Milo now standing in front of her, and she found herself almost thankful but also a little disappointed. She wanted to see Harry, but she didn’t want to see the look on his face. 

It took a second or two before she could return Milo’s hug, and when she did, she was surprised to found the level of familiarity in it that she did. It was comfortable. Something she was used to. A feeling that didn’t seem foreign. There were no sparks. It was nice, almost like hugging a family member she hadn’t seen in a while, and it was so completely and utterly different from what she had been feeling these last few days that it was almost unsettling. 

With Harry, she felt excitement. Almost like this newness of adventure was surprising her every turn. With Milo, everything was familiar. Comfortable. 

When Nova finally pulled away, it was because she couldn’t bear not seeing Harry for another second. She peered over Milo to see Harry staring down at his shoes, shuffling them with his hands in his pockets. Feeling her stare, he looked up, smiling sadly. 

Nova didn’t have the heart in her to return the smile. 

“I’ve missed you,” Milo’s voice whispered in her ear. No chills.

Nova forced her eyes to him. “I missed you, too.”

She wasn’t sure if that was true or not. Though before she could contemplate it too much, Milo leaned in capturing her lips in his. Nova made sure to keep it chaste, pulling away after only a couple seconds and making sure to leave plenty distance between their faces. 

Milo’s arm was still wrapped tightly around Nova when Harry cleared his throat. Milo stepped aside, keeping his arm around her, but still allowing her to make eye contact with Harry. The look on his face nearly killed her. 

She felt a little suffocated.

“I guess this is where it ends,” he said, and Nova knew he was trying to be lighthearted, but the look on his face and tone of his voice was anything but. 

Nova nodded once, eyes stinging strangely. “Yeah,” she said, trying to keep her voice leveled, “I guess it is.”

But I don’t want it to be, she thought.

Harry’s eyes flicked up to Milo’s face, sticking his hand out. “You’ve got yourself a good one, Milo. Take care of her, yeah? She’s a keeper.”

Nova’s heart broke just a little as Milo clasped Harry’s hand in his, offering him an odd look.

“Yeah, she is. Thanks, man.”

“Yeah, no worries.” Harry’s eyes moved to Nova once more. “Thanks for everything,” he told her, and her throat tightened.

“Goodbye, Harry,” she whispered, trying to divulge everything and nothing at all in those two words. 

Harry smiled sadly, strapping his duffle bag to his shoulder. “’Bye, Nova.”

With that, he turned and began walking towards the hotel entrance. Nova willed him to turn around. Just turn around and look back. Look back just once. 

He never looked back. 

Then he was just gone. 

* * *

Harry wished he looked back. 

He wished he saw her face once more. But he couldn’t. 

As soon as he saw Milo, his heart caved in on itself, and it was bad enough having to watch their reunion, he didn’t want to extend anymore of that torture. 

He hurt. 

He never thought he could physically hurt from a girl before, but he did. 

He hurt.

Just as he walked into his hotel room, placing his duffle bag on the bed, his phone began vibrating in his pocket. He knew it wasn’t Nova, but a silly part of him still hoped it was. 

Harry pulled out his phone, smiling mockingly when the caller ID read Niall. He almost chastised himself out loud for being so stupidly hopeful. 

“Hey, mate,” he answered the phone, sitting down on the edge of the bed. 

Niall didn’t greet him. “What’d you do to Nova?”

“Huh? I didn’t do anything.”

She’s the one that broke my heart, he thought, but didn’t dare voice it. 

“That’s not what Nova said,” Niall told him. “I texted her, asking her how the ride went, and she texted back saying, ‘Next time, I’m flying.’ What’s that about?”

Harry shrugged, fully aware that Niall couldn’t see him. “Don’t know, guess she didn’t like me.”

“Nova likes everyone.”

Harry sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t know what to tell you. We­–.”

“She told me what happened, Harry,” Niall interrupted him. “She told me how you guys almost kissed.”

* * *

Nova turned to Milo as soon as Harry was out of sight. 

He looked so happy to see her, and she felt so guilty for not feeling the same way. Her heart wasn’t here. It was miles and miles back at Chicago. It was still sitting under Cloud Gate, watching the rain pour, listening to the thunder clapping. She wanted her heart to be here. She wanted it to be sitting right in front of Milo. 

“What’re doing here?” Nova knew she should’ve said something else. Anything else. But those were the only words that left her mouth. 

Milo looked slightly taken aback. “Because I missed you?”

Say it back, something on her head told her to so. Instead, she said–

“What about New York? What about your job?”

“I made the necessary adjustments to leave early,” he explained, almost defensively. “I mean, I’ll have to leave in a few days to finalize everything, but it’s done for the most part.”

Nova nodded, trying to suppress the feeling of disappointment. She didn’t want anything to be finalized, and she hated herself for thinking that way. 

She looked to the hotel almost longingly as she said, “Oh, good.” She turned back to Milo. 

He leaned in, forcing Nova to make eye contact with him. “Are you sure that’s okay?”

“What?” she faux scoffed, sounding much too chipper, “of course it is!”

He didn’t look convinced, but before Milo could respond, Nova took his hand, leading him to her car. “Come on, let’s go to the hotel. I could really use some sleep.”

The drive to the hotel was silent. Milo drove, and Nova sat in the passenger seat. She watched the buildings zoom passed her, and she imagined she was in a time machine. She was going back in time, back to the day Niall asked if she wanted to go on a road trip with his bandmate. She remembered the hesitation, but she also remembered the twinge of excitement. Something new. Exciting. But she knew better now. Nothing good came out of this trip. If she ever could go back in time, she would make sure to tell Niall no. 

When they got to the hotel, Nova climbed into bed before Milo could suggest doing anything else, falling asleep almost instantly. 

She dreamt of Cloud Gate and green eyes. She dreamt of going back in time. She dreamt of ring clad hands touching her body. 

When she woke up, Milo was sitting in the chair across from her. A duffel bag sat at his feet. She sat up, stretching and looking at him warily. 

“Are you going somewhere?”

Milo looked at her with sad eyes. “I’m going back to New York, Nova.”

“What?” she asked sharply. “Why? I thought you still had a few more days.”

Milo didn’t answer her question. Instead, he shook his head, asking, “What were you dreaming about?”

Instantly, Nova looked down. Her cheeks flooded with color, and she knew he knew. It was bound to happen. This man knew Nova better than anyone. He could read her like a book, and she knew he had her figured out. 

When Nova didn’t answer, Milo spoke again, “You said his name. In your sleep.” 

She didn’t look up. Couldn’t look up. Instead, she whispered, “I’m so sorry,” to the duvet. 

“I’m not mad, Nova,” he said gently, “I just- I don’t want to stand in your way.”

Nova’s head whipped up, eyebrows furrowed. 

“I know nothing happened,” he kept going. “I know you would never cheat, but I also saw the way you looked at him. I heard the way you said his name. I tried really hard to ignore it, but I realized you haven’t looked at me or said my name like that in a long time.”

When she noticed tears in Milo’s eye, Nova let out a sob she didn’t realize she was holding in. 

“Milo.”

“It’s going to be okay,” he whispered, voice choked as he stood up. He walked towards her, sitting down on the bed. Nova laid her head on his shoulder, letting the tears fall onto his shirt. “I think it’s better this way. We’ll be happier, don’t you think?”

Nova simply cried in response. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“Never,” he vowed, kissing her head. 

“I really did love you,” she promised him, “so much.”

Milo nodded, keeping his lips on her head. “I know you did. I know.” 

They didn’t say anything after that. They simply sat next to each other, pretending as if this wasn’t the last time they’d get to hold each other. 

* * *

Harry was packing. 

He didn’t really want to stay in L.A. anymore. He wanted to see the boys again, and preferably, he wanted to be as far away from Nova and Milo as possible. 

There really wasn’t much here for him right now. The point of this whole trip was actually being on the road. He wanted an old fashion road trip, and well, that hadn’t ended well. The destination wasn’t really what he was looking for. 

His mind was betraying him with thoughts of Nova (again) when his phone rang with an unknown number flashing across the screen. 

“Hello?”

“Is this Harry?” A deep voice asked. It was vaguely familiar, though Harry couldn’t quite place it. 

With furrowed eyebrows, Harry sat down on the bed. “Who’s asking?”

“It’s Milo. Nova’s b–I mean, Nova’s Milo.”

“Milo?” The surprise was evident in his voice. 

Shit, Nova told him. Nova told him about Chicago. Fuck.

Harry took a deep breath. “Look man, nothing happened, okay? We just–.”

“I know, I know,” Milo interrupted him. “I just wanted to tell you something. Just let me get this out.”

“Sure.”

“Nova is an amazing person,” Milo said with nothing but sincerity. “Inside and out. Everything about her is beautiful, and she deserves the best in the entire world. She deserves everything.”

Harry knew that. God, did he know, so he said so, “I know, man.”

“No, you don’t really know because you don’t know her. You met her like a week ago. I’ve known her for years. I know her enough to know she thinks highly of you, man. Don’t screw it up, okay?”

“I don’t–.”

“You’re a good guy, Harry. Nova clearly thinks so, and I trust her judgment. Don’t screw it up.”

Then the line went dead before Harry could speak another word. He pulled his phone back from his ear, stared at his it for a second before tossing it away. 

There was a moment he just sat there, contemplating the conversation he just had, and not understanding a single word that was said. 

Without anything else to do, he began to pack again, thoughts running wild without a single chance of stopping them. He was busy throwing t-shirts in one of his bags when the room’s phone rang. 

Harry looked at it warily before walking towards it. 

“This is Harry,” he answered despite whoever was calling probably knowing that information. 

“Hi, Mr. Styles,” a man responded, “we have a visitor here for you. A mister Niall Horan. Should we send him up?”

Harry didn’t understand what was going on.

“Uh,” he stuttered, “sure, yeah. Send him on up.” Then he hung up. 

Harry didn’t really think about it much after that. Niall was probably trying to meddle, which Harry wouldn’t be surprised about. Niall has flown across the country for much less, so Harry wasn’t too concerned. He simply went back to packing, hoping Niall knew better than to mention Nova. (Sadly, he knew that wasn’t going to be the case.)

Before he could dwell on that anymore, there was a knock on the door. He quickly tossed the shirt he’d been folding in his suitcase before going to the door. 

“Look, Niall, you need to­­–.“

It wasn’t Niall. 

“Hi,” she said, and Harry’s stomach fell to his feet. Nova.

“You’re not Niall,” was the only thing Harry could think to say. 

Nova ducked her head, smiling to herself. “The ever-intelligent Harry strikes again.”

Harry wanted to laugh. He did. He wanted to pull her inside and finish what they had started in Chicago, but he couldn’t. He needed answers first. 

“No jokes,” he said, watching as the smile on Nova’s face fell. “Why are you here, Nova?”

* * *

Nova very well might be sick. 

Like violently. She was going to vomit everywhere with the way her stomach was turning on her. Harry was looking at her as if she’d somehow destroyed his hopes and dreams. Perhaps she had. 

But he was also so beautiful. Always so goddamn beautiful. 

“Can I come in?”

“How’d you get here? Pretending to be Niall?” Harry asked, ignoring her question. 

Nova wanted this to be going so much better than it currently was. 

She sighed, shuffling her feet. “I know the guy at the front desk from acting class. Asked him for a favor.”

Harry narrowed his eyes. “Why’d you pretend to be Niall?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t let me in otherwise.”

It was almost as if the fight suddenly drained out of Harry, because he sagged, stepping aside to silently invite Nova in.

She walked inside before he could change his mind, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Her eyes found her shoes. The laces were fraying on the ends, and Nova made a mental note to buy new ones. Maybe she should clean her shoes too. She’d read somewhere that many kitchen cleaners were great shoe cleaners. Maybe she’d–

Her thoughts were interrupted when Harry sat down next to her. 

“What are you doing here, Nova?” Harry asked, sounding exhausted. 

Nova took a deep breath, tearing her eyes from her shoes and looking at Harry. 

“Milo and I broke up.”

Harry looked surprised, but there was also something in his expression that looked as if he’d saw this coming. Like he wasn’t totally surprised. 

He nodded once, looking away. “Did you tell him about us?” he chuckled a little, as if there wasn’t really a them, and he just didn’t have a better word to use. 

“He kind of figured it out on his own.”

Harry paused for a moment. “What did he figure out?”

“My feelings for you.”

“Which are?” He asked slowly, looking at her. 

Nova shook her head, laughing humorlessly. “You know already.”

Harry eyes grew wider. As if he was growing more desperate as every second passed. Nova understood the feeling. 

“Say it though,” he pleaded, voice strained. “I need to hear you say it.”

Nova took a deep breath before, “I’m falling in love with you.”

* * *

Harry was late. 

He was really late, and he couldn’t seem to find the right key to unlock his apartment. He had way too many keys on this damn key ring anyhow.

Finally, after a vicious battle, he pushed the door open, dropping his things on the floor and toeing off his shoes. He heard clatter in the kitchen. 

“I’m late, I know!” he called apologetically. “I suck, but you know how Niall gets when you get him talking. It’s hard to shut him up.”

There was another loud clatter followed by a few expletives. 

“Babe?” Harry called out again, making his way towards the kitchen.

Broccoli was strewn everywhere, almost covering the expanse of the kitchen floor. Nova stood by the pan on the floor, hair falling into her face. Her cheeks were tinted red, and she was wearing an apron that said, Kiss the Chef. Harry walked towards her and did just that. 

Nova pouted into the kiss, and Harry’s heart swooned.

“What happened, baby?” he asked gently once he pulled away from the kiss. 

Her pout only worsened, and Harry felt a swoop of endearment, face softening. “I wanted to make you that recipe your mom makes. You know the one you always ask for?”

Harry nodded.

“Then this happened.” She motioned to the floor that still had broccoli every which way. 

“You know, I don’t think this is what the recipe calls for,” Harry tried to joke, but Nova scowled. 

“I was trying to something nice for our anniversary!”

Nova’s scowl deepened, throwing handfuls of broccoli into a bowl. Harry found her scowl even more endearing, and he chuckled softly, only causing her scowl to deepen further in a glare towards him. Adorable.

Harry kneeled on the floor, gently cupping her wrists. Nova looked up. “I love that you’re trying to make me dinner, baby,” he whispered. “Tryingbeing the emphasized word here.”

Nova’s face, which had softened at the start of Harry’s sentence, immediately hardened, scowling once again. 

“You’re an ass!” She threw a handful of broccoli at him, and Harry skillfully ducked. 

He grabbed the bowl from her hands, placing it on the counter before pulling her to him. That was the thing about Nova. She had a hard exterior, but on the inside, she was as soft as ever, always melting into Harry’s embrace. She nuzzled her nose into his neck. It was slightly chilled, but Harry didn’t mind. It was Nova after all. He welcomed her embrace, chill and all. 

“I love you,” he whispered into her hair, cataloging the way her body shivered at his words. “So much. Whether or not you can cook effectively without burning the house down.”

Nova chuckled breathily. “I love you, too.”

She tilted her chin up, silently asking for a kiss. Harry happily granted. 

“Happy Anniversary, baby,” he whispered when they pulled away. 

“You too.”

Harry gently tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, smiling softly. “What would you say about a road trip?”

Nova didn’t answer. She simply laughed and pulled him down for another kiss. That was all the answer Harry needed.

**Author's Note:**

> come chat with me on tumblr @harry-styleswho xx


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